Rob McCusker believes the Wales No. 6 jersey is “up for grabs” as he relishes his return to the international ranks.

The recalled McCusker is one of four contenders to fill the blindside berth left vacant by the injury to Dan Lydiate, with fellow Scarlets back rowers Aaron Shingler and Josh Turnbull also in the frame along with Ospreys veteran Ryan Jones.

It’s some 19 months since the 26-year-old won the last of his four caps, having spent the second half of last season on the sidelines following shoulder surgery.

But, having led from the front as new Scarlets skipper this term, he’s been brought back on board by Wales for the autumn internationals.

“It’s nice to be back in the fold. It’s been a while,” he admitted.

“It would be great to pull on the jersey again.”

McCusker’s best chance of doing that would appear to lie on the blindside flank, with Lydiate out of the autumn campaign with an ankle fracture.

“There’s definitely a place there to target,” he said.

“I don’t know what they are thinking. There are various options. But you’ve got to be in it to win it, as they say.

“So it’s up for grabs as I see it.

“I do want to get involved in this series.”

McCusker has spent virtually all of this season playing at No. 8 for the Scarlets in the wake of Ben Morgan’s departure for Gloucester.

But he’s confident he would be able to re-adapt to the No. 6 position if handed the opportunity by Wales.

“It’s where I’ve played most of my rugby,” he said.

“I’ve kind of just gone about my rugby this season as a six, but with a few little add-ons for the eight position.

“I would like to think I could slot back in there at six without too much adjustment.”

Next page: McCusker's battle with Scarlets team-mates for number six spot

McCusker finds himself vying with his equally versatile Scarlets team-mates Shingler and Turnbull for that spot.

“They are both playing well and will be as up for nailing down a position for Wales as me,” he said.

“I am sure we will help each other out when it comes to it.”

McCusker’s chances of being part of Wales’ Six Nations Grand Slam squad earlier this year were wrecked by the shoulder damage which was to prematurely end his season.

“I had a phone call from Robin McBryde the night before the championship squad was to be announced, but I had to tell him I had been told I needed surgery on my shoulder,” he revealed.

“I’m just glad to be injury free now.

“I’m still a bit rusty to be honest.

“Seven months is quite a long time out of the game.

“It’s been quite hard to get back into it in terms of where I’d like to be.

“But obviously I’m doing a little bit right to be in this 35-man Wales squad.

“So not a bad start, but a long way to go.

“I always want to improve and see things that I am not doing as well as I can be.”

As well as working his way back from injury, McCusker has also had the added responsibility of captaincy this season, having taken over from Matthew Rees as Scarlets skipper.

“It’s a real honour,” he said.

“I have a few more grey hairs than before, but it is great when you are winning.

“There is a bit of added pressure, but nothing much has changed because there is a group of experienced senior players and we have 11 of them in the Wales squad.

“Although I’m a senior player here, I’m a relative newbie in the Welsh squad and there are obviously more senior players than me there.

“It will be kind of nice not to have all eyes on you looking for a call or what happens next. Maybe there will a bit of pressure off me and I can just train hard and play some rugby.”

After leading the Scarlets against Edinburgh at Murrayfield on Friday night, McCusker will link up with Wales the following day ahead of Sunday’s flight out to the Poland for the week-long training camp at the Spala cryotherapy centre.

He knows what to expect from the infamous Polish ice chambers having experienced them last year with the national squad.

“It was a bit of a shock to the system the first couple of days,” he said.

“The intensity and training volume goes through the roof. “But that’s why we are going there.

“I didn’t mind the ice chambers too much last time.

“It was kind of a novelty factor. “It is a dry cold rather than a wet one,

“Spala is a good environment where we can all rebond, get to know each other and put some hard work in.

“You saw how the guys did at the World Cup after a couple of trips there. It gives you a mental edge as well as a physical one.”